Books Corner

Segar's overtures to painters

Segar autobiography with paintings Published by D. Raja Segar

The arabesque overtures, like in music, seep through his paintings but the classical genre of his art, lies in the words as found in Segar. It is a classic the reader will wish to display on his coffee table.

Segar by Segar is unique. It is like a symphony in words that replaces his ardour. This autobiographical saga is found in a book that is meticulously printed.

Bestowed upon a strong visual imagination that reveals an extraordinary wealth of diverse talents, displays a philosophical development into traditional art. Segar brings out a powerful conviction in words right from within his heart that makes Segar a sensational book. He splashes his thoughts within the folds of the pages the same way he splashes paint on canvas and from it rises brilliant images so different to many a talented painter/autobiographer. While he stands out as a singular icon in his paints, he never overestimate himself in his book.

I see a semblance of the exuberant baroque style of the 17th century. It is bold and challenging just the way his brush cavorts around figures. He is a figure artist which is his style, his signature that art lovers and experts have come to recognise.

Attitude

And Segar the artist remains aloof but Segar the writer has an attitude and together, they do not confuse the reader nor the art lover.

Segar stepped in at a time when the paucity of cultural and religious heritage was on the wane though there were who did contribute to Buddhist theology of painting but they were far and wide, opting most of the time for nature on canvas which is not Segar's forte. One cannot blame this situation because Sri Lanka is so full of nature, beautiful, fresh and burgeoning at her supreme from any angle one looks over.

When I was a student at painting, my eyes and breath only caught on nature and there was nothing else I wanted to put on canvas which of course, was wrong. When my teacher took our class outdoor, I would simply excel on that day. I was able to catch even an erupting bubble so quickly, if we were on a waterfront. I suppose this is a part of the wholesome painter. No one can resist nature though Segar was able to.

Thanks to all out painters, big and small, popular and not so-popular because they are not imbued with any foreign influences. Even the so-called great impressionists have not left behind any impression on our painters (though I have seen a few reproductions of foreign Masters but they are by our novices).

Tradition

As a tradition, our art pivots between nature and the rest via tradition and tradition and culture which makes Segar one of its exponents.

However, mythological aura is rampant in his art and shifts between Indian and Sri Lankan figures. I like the way he paints the Buddha above all his subjects.

And Segar stands out bold and clear in these themes.

In his autobiography, he traces many points in life and 'Segar' is clear enough to leave behind a deep impression on the reader.

And Segar stands out bold and clear on his subjects.

As he traces many points in life, Segar leaves a deep impression on the reader. Written simply, he drives home the depths of the summers he left behind, into the future in an endearing vibrancy.

He is humble enough to lavish praise on all those who helped him on to the road of success and his deep family influence in this endeavour figure out prominently.

At every turn of event, his family had been his source of providing the climate and sombre moments during his struggle that obviously makes him an essentially a family man. Excerpt from his book, His story - 'Greenpath was the name of the road where our small house was, though if faced R.A. De Mel Mawatha, in the heart of Colombo. Our house which had four common toilets, two for women and the rest for men. These houses were considered as shanty by our posh neighbourd.

Shanties

"I too thought like that until I saw the Dharavi shanties 20 years later in Mumbai. My father was a factory labourer at a soft drinks manufacturing company called Elephant House. When I was four years I went to stay with my grandparents at Barnes Place in Colombo 7.

"You may think this was a posh house like our Greenpath house. This house is still there at No.56, Barnes Place. My father was clueless about my presence, I mean he did not know whether I existed or not. May be he was overworking.

Unable to get any good school though Royal College was only two metres away, my grandmother was able to admit me only to St.Michael's College, a small government school in Colombo 3.'

Long journey

Segar joined the procession in the history of Sri Lankan art in a long journey that keeps going. The support and exposure given to our painters abroad is nil which keeps them static and like the wondrous buds that bloom into flowers fade away.

But painters such as Segar had managed to break away from such shakels and set up few international galleries especially in Asia which is only a speck towards development.

In a reflective statement from his book, he says, 'No one can disappoint me or make me sad by cheating or stealing from me because I have a powerful weapon given to me by the Buddha Compassion.'

The book is an overture towards our artists that need a massive push in shaping the development of Sri Lankan artists.

Segar is an overwhelming book by a great artist whose focus is primarily on Sri Lankan talent.

A must-have book in any library.

- Princess

Vade mecum for students

Reviewed by R.S. Karunaratne

Achieving Excellence in Studies
Author: Dr H.D. Sumanasekera
Sumanasekera Publications,
Nugegoda

Almost all of us have studied at schools and universities. Even after securing employment, some of us still remain students learning various subjects on our own. However, all these years we did not have a comprehensive guide or a manual for student-centred learning. This lacuna has been filled by the recent publication of Achieving Excellence in Studies written by an authority on the subject. The author is a development evaluation specialist.

In the preface the author says, "Learning and innovation skills increasingly are being recognised as those that separate students who are prepared for a more and more complex life and work environments in the 21st century, and those who are not moving ahead from 3RSs (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic).

Within the context of core knowledge instruction, students must also learn the essential skills such as 4Cs (Creativity, Critical thinking, Communication and Collaboration) for success in today's world.

Some of us give up learning completely after employment and marriage. We try to educate our sons and daughters without educating ourselves. The author points out quite rightly that learning is a life-long process. As adults we may not be able to follow classes or spend time in libraries. However, there are modern methods of doing self studies.

Passion

The author has highlighted the fact that we should have a passion for learning. That is something some of our students lack. They simply want to pass examinations and secure lucrative jobs. This should not be the norm. Those who develop a love of learning at an early age will continue the process throughout their lives. By doing so they will remain successful, interesting and useful citizens of the country. Throughout the book the author keeps emphasising this fact.

The present system of education has produced very few intellectuals because it is teacher-centred. Students depend on the teacher to learn a subject.

On the contrary, if we adopt a student-centred education system, students will do research on their own to learn. The author too advocates student-centred learning which focuses on the student's needs, abilities, interests and learning style. In such a set up, the teacher will play the role of a facilitator.

Achieving Excellence in Studies is an excellent book of instructions for students and teachers. The instructions have been classified into various topics. The reader will find the book interesting because all what he wants have been stated in an easy-to-understand capsule form. The book does not have long mind-boggling paragraphs and chapters. Everything is systematically presented for the reader's attention.

Information

In 14 chapters the author has presented a wealth of information to the learner. In chapter 1, he focuses his attention on the importance of education and knowledge societies. Then he moves on to methods of learning. He explains the Learning Pyramid and gives 75 ways to learn faster, deeper and better. The author's account on the benefits of reading is an eye-opener to most of us.

The author is of the view that failures are quite natural. He cites a number of successful men in different fields who had failed at first. He advises parents not to punish children for their examination failures. His analysis of why children fail is worth paying attention to.

One of the most important chapters is the one on study skills. Most students are unaware of efficient study skills. He explains the 21st century study skills lucidly. He also promotes the study of mathematics and gives useful tips to study it effectively.

Grammar

The author has stressed the importance of learning English grammatically. He gives 100 ways to learn English and 25 usage principles for clear writing.

From English he moves on to time management and moral values. He drives home the point that success in life begins at home. Therefore, the book can be recommended as a vade mecum (literally,come with me) for students, teachers and parents.

An autobiography of an entrepreneur

Reviewed by Padma Edirisinghe

Amawaka Anduru Ne
Author: Jayantha Mangala Rajapakse
Published by Wijesuriya
Grantha Kendraya

Amawaka night is a familiar sight to Buddhists. The goddess Moon wanes completely on this night terminating the Pura Paksha and bringing on the Ava Paksha. Many mothers steeped in Sinhala Buddhist culture opt, for their children to be born in the Ava Paksha, deemed a lucky phase. Though the author has highlighted the Amawaka in the title of his last book, it remains a riddle as to what moon phase he was born in. It is not clearly asserted.

It is more cogent to the tale told to believe that he had been born at a time when the moon was waning for the tale he strives to unfold is one of unflagging endeavour, of a singular rise of a businessman’s life from dire beginnings. To say hopeless beginnings would be an exaggeration, for the boy gets born into a certain social and financial base with a father returned from 2nd World War service and then installed in the Government service and a mother, a school teacher.

But the boy is certainly ambitious and strives for the stars from his youth. He seems always to consider inadequate and his eyes are always on the stars in the sky.

On earth there is a lassie, and the romance between her and him runs like a silver or golden thread throughout the tale told with a singular and charming quaintness of its own. The intensity of this love propels him to dedicate the book, to her.

The book, more or less, belongs to the autobiography genre, now becoming very popular. When handled by those of the author’s calibre, they end up as reservoirs of information too. He had been born a few years after Sri Lanka got her independence, a rather peculiar period when the shadows of imperialism still linger.

The area he is born and bred, Ambalangoda and Madampe in the Southern coastal belt through which the Madampe river runs to the ocean, carries a colonial hegemony covering about 500 years.

This legacy is still stamped on this area via personal names, religion, many a strange building and even landscapes as carved out by churches and Christian cemeteries.

They all stand sentinels to its jumbled history of a pure Buddhist past adulterated by new influences.

One thing we notice about the writer is his non—prejudicial attitude to the remnants of colonial influence. He does not pause to condemn or pontificate about them but seems to take it all in his stride, as inevitable concomitants of the passage of time.

About 500 years ago from the maritime terrain the Portuguese were driven out by the Dutch who themselves bowed out before the mightier British power. With a concentrated ambition to rise in the world, Amawaka or not, the youth does not pause to give judgments on what happened to the island but is always on the look out to sieve out chances for his climb.

In the background a coy love affair matures but only via eyes. A convincing scenario of post–Independence Lanka is presented, the education system not at all “Systematised” and everything more or less left to chance and casual happenings in a youth’s life. Child psychology was unknown in schools. An insight is given to crude situations in schools when children were subject to humiliating remarks and addresses such as Gon thakkadiya and Val Booruwa.

Quite a number grew up to actually qualify for these titles while a few like the author managed to overlook these slights and make headway. Finally, the writer ends up not only as a very successful entrepreneur running his own firm in the suburbs of the capital but also as a writer.

The “not so lucky”adventures he undergoes after his entry to the capital, make not only interesting but rather tedious reading.

It makes the reader wonder as to what will the situation be if all the successful businessmen in Colombo begin writing their memoirs. Of course there will be umpteen lessons included for the benefit of the upcoming youth but along with the didactic element the waning of the literary element becomes almost inevitable.

Some, very negative-minded will critically state that the book finally ends up a medley of Parattu or boast, a crowing of the fortunes of not only the author but also of his offspring. Yet others would in his defence will argue that according to our main religion, parenting and being happy and boastful about successful parenting are naturally in line.

Incidentally, the force of Dhamma empowers the book from the beginning to the end. And Lady Luck too favours the writer.

Friends and relations volunteer help at the most critical times and wherever the author emerges, be it here or abroad there is someone to help him. The romance flowers from the initial eye–contact to a solid union begetting a happy family too.

Who says Amawaka is dark? The title is not very justifiable unless the author was born on Amawaka night. Not justifiable too is the truism attributed to Nelson Mandela that comes at the end. It is, “The greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall”.

Did Jayantha Mangala Rajapakse fall very often? Not many times according to the long anecdote unfolded in nearly 300 pages. Perhaps Buddhist philosophy kept the chairman of UNIPOWER, steadily along the rattled rails of life and earned him good friends while Lady Luck bestowed on him remarkable opportunities at the correct moments.

Book launch

Bauddha Samaja Vidya Praveshaya

Dr. Dharmasena Hettiarachchi’s latest book Bauddha Samaja Vidya Praveshaya will be launched at the Dayawansa Jayakody Bookshop, Colombo 10 on November 26 at 10 a.m. It is a Dayawansa Jayakody publication.

New arrivals

Angulimala

Champa Gunasekara’s children’s book Angulimala was launched recently as a Susara publication. The book comes with apt illustrations.

Arahath Maga Arahath Phala

Thilaka Kudahetti’s latest book Arahath Maga Arahath Phala will be launched at the Dayawansa Jayakody Bookshop, Colombo 10 on December 3 at 10 a.m.

Arahath Maga Arahath Phala is the Sinhala translation of Ven. Acharya Maha Boowa Thera’s Arahattamagga Arahatta Phala. It is a Dayawansa Jayakody publication.